The Winter Flame
by Serendinfinity
Summary: My take on what could happen in season 8, starting right after the finale episode. Mostly exploring the relationship between Jon and Daenerys.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note : English is not my mother tongue so I hope it won't be painful to read :-/ Feel free to correct me if something makes you cringe. I hope you'll like it, this is my first try at GOT so I would love to have your feedback! Thanks for your interest!_

* * *

Jon woke up to an empty bed and for a minute he thought the previous night had been a dream. Something he'd been thinking about for quite some time now but without letting himself indulge into it. He would restrain any inappropriate thoughts he could have about her, about her military outfits that gave her so much presence and power, about her silver hair and the way it would surround her sweet face if she let those braids down. Yes, he thought Daenerys Targaryen mesmerizing but he kept on erasing such ideas from his mind as soon as they appeared since there was a more pressing matter to attend, the Great War against the army of the dead. His eyes adjust to the light and he soon realized this was no dream. This room wasn't his and as he turned in the bed he saw her, sitting just a few step away, her naked back to him as she gently brushed her long hair.

The view was astonishing, her silver hair against her fair skin seemed like she was just a ray of light, a sparkle of fire in the darkness of the room and the gloomy weather outside. She was everything he wasn't and yet, it felt like he found some parts of himself in her. Daenerys Targaryen was stubborn, impulsive, proud but she cared about others and was ready to help those in need. She had that fierce temper that had melted the ice surrounding him, she was everything he needed.

She saw he was awake and looked at him through the mirror with a smile. He sat on the bed, unsure what to do. He had come here with no goal, he just wanted to see her, unable to erase her face from his mind, and when their eyes had locked, it had seem obvious where this would lead. But Jon had not thought about what would happen after, what would she want from him, or not want. She was the Queen and he just a bastard, surely she would not want to be seen with him. So he looked around searching for his clothes.

« I think I should go. » he said without looking a her reflection in the mirror. He got up from the bed and felt her burning gaze on his back as he went to grab his pants.

« I did not give you permission to leave. » she replied after a few moments. She had not move from her seat in front of the mirror and when he looked at her he saw she was laying down her brush and turning to face him. She walked towards him, not a bit ashamed of her nudity and he started to wonder what she was thinking. He could not read her, and he stood silent, secretly wanting to kiss her again and throw her on the bed to discover her amazing body once again. He was finding it extremely hard to focus on her eyes as she approached him, a predatory look on her face. « I see you're not refusing me to grant you permission this time… » she started when she was close enough to him so he could feel the warmth radiating from her body.

« It's quite difficult to say no to you when you're looking like this. » he answered in a whisper, taking in her figure. She smiled, visibly satisfied to have this kind of impact on him.

« Do you want to? » she breathes, « Say no? Leave? »

« No. Not unless you want to. » Her hands found his chest, gently tracing the scars that marked the treason of his brothers of the Night's Watch. She had not asked him anything about them yet, he knew she was curious about it, she had already asked him about that time Davos talked about the knife he took through the heart and he had diffuse the situation back then but he knew he would not be able to do so the next time she asked.

« I don't want you to leave. » she looked him in the eyes, her hand still on his chest and he kissed her, pulling her body against his own. The kiss became more passionate as Jon's hands stopped roaming her back to rest on her bottom. Daenerys did not wait to wrap her legs around his waist and let him take her to the bed.

* * *

They woke up a few hours later to the sound of knocking at the door. Jon was out of the bed in a second, quickly grabbing his things to get dressed under the look of an amused Daenerys who simply sat on the bed, the furs covering her naked body as she asked who it was.

« It's me, Your Grace. » came Missandei's voice from theater side of the wooden door. « I thought you might want some breakfast, I brought fruits. » Daenerys took a look at Jon who was almost completely dressed by now and she smiled.

« Thank you Missandei but I'm not hungry. I overslept, I'll be up there in a few moments. »

« Alright Your Grace. » They heard her footsteps going away from the Queen's room and Jon released the breath he had been holding all along. Daenerys still had that amused look on her face as she studied him.

« Now, I really need to go. » She simply nodded and he went to the door, listening to any noise outside that might prevent him from exiting without being seen. Just as his hand grabbed the handle Daenerys spoke.

« Jon, come back tonight.»

* * *

They sailed for more than a fortnight before setting foot at White Harbor. Daenerys was not used to be on a boat for so long, she preferred flying, feeling the fresh air on her face rather than having to deal with the restless sea. Moreover, flying was way faster. Jon had sent a raven to Winterfell so when they arrived a few Northern men were here to greet them, or mostly greet the return of their king. He seemed to know each and everyone of them and genuinely happy to see them again. He made the presentations, calling her « Queen Daenerys of house Targaryen. » and the proud Northerners did not react, they just stared at her before one of them broke the silence to lead the group towards their mounts.

« The horses are fed and ready to leave, Your Grace. This way. » The man was talking to Jon who nodded before glancing at her. He was visibly a little uncomfortable but he had warned her and she gave him a small smile. During their time together in her room on the boat or when they just talked on deck he had told her it will take time before the Northerners accepted her as their new Queen. They were proud and had deeply suffered at the hands of Southern rulers but he had promised he would keep her safe no matter what. She trusted him blindly and she followed his tracks between the men casting her dark looks. They rode for hours, Jon at the front with Davos and his men leading the way, and Daenerys at the end, next to Missandei who was not used to riding horses. At one point Jon was next to them as the whole party was stopping near some kind of tavern.

« Why are we stopping? » she asked as they were all getting down their horses.

« Thought you might want to rest, it's a long road to Winterfell. » Jon was already on his feet and grabbing the reins of her horse. She looked at Missandei who smiled, the two of them thinking the same thing, something that Jon had obviously forgotten.

« In case you forgot, Jon Snow, I was Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, meaning I rode horses for days and months without stopping. I don't need to rest, let's go. » With that she spurred her horse. A few seconds later Jon was at her side, on his horse, a small smile playing on his lips as he muttered

« I did not forget any of your numerous titles… » even if she had too many according to him « But it's almost twilight, we don't know if we're going to find another tavern before nightfall. We need to take shelter for the night. » he explained.

« I was used to camp in the wilderness » she started but was cut of by his amused grin. She threw a questioning look at the man who bent to grab her reins and stop her horse.

« Yeah, I can assure you camping in the Dothraki sea is not quite the same as camping in a Northern, snow covered, forest. » She had to grant him that, she could not get used to this cold, as they travelled north, it became even more biting and she would love to sit next to a warm fire or have Missandei pour her a hot bath.

« Fine » she complied and turned her horse around. « But I guess a tavern full of Northerners means you won't be coming tonight? » They stared at each other for a moment and she saw in his eyes the desire, the need, and she knew that he would find a way to visit her that night. Which he did.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note : I would like to thank you for your kind words and your indulgence towards my grammar mistakes! I'm glad you liked the first chapter, here's the second one, a scene I can't wait to see in season 8_

* * *

They finally arrived at Winterfell after a fortnight riding and Jon could not be happier to see the castle again. Moreover, he couldn't wait to see his siblings again. He thought Arya and Bran were dead for so long, and when he had learned about them being back home he didn't had time to process and rejoice in the news since he also learned the army of the dead was getting closer and closer to the Wall. Now he was going to see them with his own eyes and hug them, he would take the time to celebrate before returning to the task ahead. The journey had been uneventful, no one on the road tried anything against the silver-haired queen riding next to him most of the time, even his men had started to despise her less and less everyday as they saw she was no common queen. She rode horses like she was born to, never complained about the cold or the discomfort of being on a saddle all day. There was only one thing bothering her, and he was one of the few to notice. Daenerys kept glancing at the sky every now and then, searching for the winged shadows he knew she missed. They hadn't seen Drogon and Rhaegal since being on the boat to White Harbor. One night they were together, Daenerys had said they probably went away to hunt and that they would come back to her once they ate enough. The North did not provide much for them with those low temperatures. He remembered her eyes, lost in the dark, starless sky and the sad look she had on her face that night. It was the first night they spent just holding each other, relishing in their presence and warmth.

Jon spotted Sansa's red hair before anything else, relief washing over her face as their eyes locked. Behind her, the big figure of Brienne of Tarth and next to them, here they were. Jon dismounted before his horse was completely stopped and crossed the courtyard in a few rapid steps, Arya met him halfway, almost running to jump in his open arms. She was way bigger and heavier than the last time he had hold her like that. The day she left for King's Landing, the day none of them should have left Winterfell.

« Aren't you too grown up for that? » he asked, his face next to her ear.

« Never » he heard the muffled sound of her voice in the furs that surrounded his shoulders. After a few moments he let her down and walked towards Bran who had not move. He was sitting on some kind of wheelchair which was a great improvement from the last time he had seen him, laying unconscious in his bed.

« Bran » Jon got down on his knees ans the two brothers hugged.

« I'm glad to see you again Jon. » the crippled boy said with a genuine smile, which, Jon did not know it yet, was rare to see on him. A shape on the left caught Jon's attention as he got up.

« Sam? » The round-faced man gave him a warm smile « Samwell Tarly, what are you doing here! » Jon exclaimed as the two of them shook hands and hugged. One of the few real brothers he got from the Night's Watch that was supposed to be at the Citadel, seeing him here was such a true surprise to Jon that he didn't catch the look Bran and him exchanged before Sam answered.

« I felt useless back there and I wanted to help you. » Jon put a hand on his shoulder.

« Thank you my friend. »

He turned around to see the rest of his party getting down of their horses and spotted the silver-haired woman still on her mount.

« Everyone! » he exclaimed, getting back next to her « Let me introduce you to Queen Daenerys of house Targaryen. » He hold his hand to help her down the horse but she ignored it, which was no surprise for the north man. As well as the welcome she got from everyone in the castle. Cold as the weather, no one spoke or bend any knee, they just look at her like she was a foreign invader and he could sense her discomfort. He expected that, but he still believed what he had said before, he knew everyone will soon start to see her for who she was, just like he did. Sansa was the one to diffuse the situation, as a true Lady would, a role which suited her perfectly.

« Let me welcome you to the North and Winterfell on behalf of every Northerners, Your Grace. I hope you had a pleasant journey. » Sansa's tone was cordial but not too friendly. Jon could feel that she was unsure what to think about Daenerys coming to Winterfell or him bending the knee to her. Surely she would want to discuss it and tell him he shouldn't have done it.

« Thank you Lady Stark. » came Daenerys clear voice. « I'm pleased to finally meet you. » she paused and looked at the whole Stark family. « All of you. »

« I've had rooms prepared for you and your people. » Sansa's eyes rested on Tyrion for a second before she continued. « You probably want to rest a little before dinner. »

« That's very kind of you, thank you. »

As they all started to enter the hall of the castle, Jon felt a hand on his arm, stopping him in his tracks. He turned around to see Bran looking deeply at him, his face blank.

« I need to talk to you, Jon. » Sam appeared behind his brother and cast a few anxious glances between them. At that moment Jon was sure Sam had discovered something at the Citadel, something that was not good news. Maybe he found out there was no way to kill the Night King or stop him. Maybe Bran had seen the army closer than it was supposed to be? Could it at the Wall already? Were his friends there already dead trying to fight them away? He looked at his sisters that had stopped a few meters away along with Daenerys and nodded to Bran, following him to the room on the left. It was the place where his father used to deal with all the responsibilities of being Warden of the North, it would be his place to be now. Samwell went with them and closed the door just at the moment Jon's dark eyes found Daenerys' violet ones.

« What have you seen? » Jon asked his brother without any preamble. He disliked the silence that filled the room just after that. Sam was shifting from one foot to another and looking to the floor just like a kid and Bran was eyeing him, his face completely emotionless.

« The day you were born. » the Stark boy answered in a still voice. Jon was taken aback, not expecting this subject to come up at that moment. He had prepared himself for anything related to the army of the dead, but his birth was not something he thought relevant during this war. Before he could say anything, Bran continued.

« You're not Father's son. He lied to protect you from Robert Baratheon's wrath. » Jon frowned, not understanding what his brother was implying when he talked about Robert's wrath.

« Wh… » he started but Bran cut in off.

« You're Aunt Lyanna's son. » The news shook him to the core but Bran didn't let him process the news « The son she had with Rhaegar Targaryen. » There it was. He was way too familiar with the reason that caused Robert's rebellion. His aunt, or mother it would seem, abduction by the Targaryen prince. The news that would change everything, the news he wished he never learned. It was funny to think how much he wanted to know the truth back then, begging his father to tell him who his mother was and Ned refusing to give him what he asked for. But right now he wished Bran had not say anything, he wanted to stay Ned Stark bastard and not become the child born from Lyanna's rape by Rhaegar. It felt like this role was worse than being a bastard, even if he was still a bastard. At least, this didn't changed and it almost felt like a relief. And, his father, or the one he thought was his father, didn't lie after all. All those years ago, before they both left for King's Landing and the Wall, Ned had insisted Jon was his blood. It was true he had Stark blood, Lyanna Stark's blood. As well as Targaryen blood. He shared Daenerys' blood, and he realized the ties linking them now. He had shared the bed and fell in love with his aunt. He could not believe it, did not want to believe it.

« There's more. » came Sam little voice. Jon's head spun towards him. He wasn't sure he could take anymore after what he just heard.

« What? » he asked hoarsely, unable to find his voice.

« I found out in a Mestre diary that Rhaegar's marriage to Elia Martell was annulled and that he married Lyanna in a secret ceremony in Dorne. » Jon quickly put two and two together and his thoughts were voiced by Sam. « Which means you're not a bastard but the true and legitimate heir to the Iron thr… »

« No. » Jun cut him off, raising his hand to stop him. He was shaking his head, trying to make sense of everything. « It can't be true… »

« I saw it. » Bran added. « The secret wedding, your birth… Your real name isn't Jon Snow, it's Aegon Targaryen, Lyanna whispered it to Father's ear before dying… »

« Enough! » Jon yelled at his brother, regretting it immediately. He rarely lost his temper, the last time was when he had punched Ramsay Bolton almost to death for what he did to Sansa. « I'm sorry, I just… can't. » And with that he opened the door in a loud thud, startling everyone waiting for him in the hall. He didn't pay attention to who was there, he only noticed her and the worried look on her beautiful face. But he couldn't look at Daenerys Targaryen without feeling this heaviness on his heart so he left the castle, quickly walking through the yard to escape them all.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note : Hey everyone! Thank you again for reading and for your support, it means a lot to me, it's very encouraging and interesting to read your comments. I hope you'll like this chapter!_

* * *

« What have you said to him? » Arya asked her brother after they all witness a troubled Jon exit the castle. Her tone was a little agressive.

« The truth. » Bran replied, looking at the empty spot were Jon stood a few moments ago. Arya snapped him out of his reverie as she stood in front of him, a stern look on her face.

« What truth? » she insisted as Bran looked at her and all the persons that were present with them. This news could not be shared with everyone. Along with Arya, were Sansa, Ser Davos, The Queen and her small council composed by Tyrion Lannister, an older man and a copper skinned woman he didn't recognized. He looked at Daenerys.

« You might want to sent them away. » he told her. She frowned, unsure about what she was about to hear, what could have unsettle Jon so much? His eyes were filled with pain when he had looked at her before leaving. She looked at Tyrion, Jorah and Missandei and turned back to face Bran Stark.

« There's no need, they're my most trusted advisors. Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of them. » And Bran started talking.

« I told Jon about the truth of his birth. His real name is Aegon Targaryen, he's the son born from the secret marriage of Rhaegar Targaryen and our aunt, Lyanna Stark. » The revelation was met with a deathly silence, everyone trying to process the news. Daenerys felt her breath stuck in her throat, she was too shocked to say anything. She felt Tyrion, Missandei and Jorah eyes on her but could not take hers off of Bran. Tyrion finally voiced out what everyone understood at that moment.

« Which makes him the legitimate heir to the throne… » His voice was low, as if afraid to break the silence. This thought had crossed Daenerys' mind but it was quickly brushed away by the fact he was actually her nephew, a nephew she bedded numerous times, a nephew she fell in love with. A wave of nausea submerged her as she realized that. It seemed the Targaryen were bound to perpetuate incestuous relationships. Her brother Rhaegar had broken this wheel but she fell right back into it. She remembered the way she had felt when she was younger about marrying Viserys. It sickened her but she had grown used to the idea. Even to the point that she would have rather married her cruel brother than Khal Drogo when she first met him. She had been so afraid by the Dothrakis' ways that day that she thought her brother, as cruel and mean as he was, was a better choice. Of course, she was wrong and after a fews weeks she was relieved to be free of her brother's influence.

« … And your nephew. » Tyrion finished, his voice clearer, holding a bit of judgement in it. She threw him a dark glance. Of course he knew about them, her hand was smart and even if Jon and her were trying to be discreet, she didn't intend on hiding anything. She was pretty sure Missandei knew something was going on as well, but her friend had not asked anything yet, waiting for her to be willing to share this. Daenerys wanted to keep that for them a bit longer, it was as if they were in a sweet bubble that would explode as soon as people would know about them. The bubble had just exploded to her face. Her emotions were harder and harder to control, she remembered Tyrion saying she could be impulsive and reckless from time to time and tried her best to fight the tears and the anger that were threatening to submerge her. Bran and his sisters were studying her now. Arya's piercing gaze was the worst, it was like she was just seeing through her, reading her like an open book but it was Bran who read her the best.

« It's too late, isn't it? » Daenerys wondered if it was his abilities as the Three-Eyed Raven, abilities she did not quite understand, that helped him figure it out, or if her reaction to the news was that obvious. « You too fell in love with each other. » Her tears were hard to contain, but she didn't let them fall, fighting hard against them, trying to breathe the best she could at that moment. She wanted to scream, to tell them this was none of their business, she wanted to fly away on Drogon, to feel the fresh air, the heat of her dragon's skin and the quiet silence above, she wanted everything to stop, she wanted the bubble to wrap itself around her once again, shielding her from all the chaos outside. But the bubble was gone and she could not control anything anymore.

« I need some air… » she muttered before exiting the same way Jon did before her. She was thankful no one tried to follow her out of Winterfell surrounding walls.

* * *

Jon had stayed in the God's wood for hours, thinking, pacing, trying to process the news, what it meant and how he felt about it. He returned to Winterfell when it was already dark and the cold was starting to freeze his fingers. He was not thinking more clearly about the situation and hoped the night would help him even if he knew he would not get much sleep. As he entered Winterfell's walls he saw Arya, she obviously had been waiting for him and by the look on her face she knew. He did not speak and just put a hand on her shoulders to lead her inside the walls, where it was warmer.

« How are you feeling? » she asked after a few moments of silence.

« I don't know. » he replied earnestly.

« No matter what, you are my brother, and you always will be my brother. » Jon gave her a smile. That was the first comforting thing for him at the moment.

« I guess Sansa knows too » Jon started, wondering for how long Bran and his sisters have known the truth without telling him. Yet, it was not something to announce in a letter. Arya nodded to his assumption and as if she read his mind, she gave him the answer to his silent question.

« He told us just after you left. Everyone was wondering what had happened to you. » Jon's head quickly turned towards his sister, realizing something else.

« What do you mean everyone? Who else knows? » He feared the answer, but a part of him already knew and Arya just confirmed it.

« Davos, Tyrion Lannister, the Queen and the man and woman with her. » Jon breathed heavily, closing his eyes in the process. She knew. He wished he had been the one to break the news to her even if he didn't know if he would have succeeded in saying it out loud. « Bran and Tyrion said there is something between you and her… » Jon stayed silent, Arya wasn't asking, she just expected him to confirm which he did, silently. He was not surprised Tyrion knew but was wondering if Bran saw it in some of his visions or just guessed it. Despite what he expected, he couldn't wait for the night to give him some clarity, she knew and he needed to speak with her.

« I need to go and talk to her. » he sighed and started to walk towards the stairs but his sister's voice stopped him.

« Why? Haven't you too talked already? » He turned back to her, frowning.

« What do you mean? »

« Wasn't she with you? » Arya asked, visibly surprised. Jon's heart jumped in his chest. She didn't came after him, he hadn't seen or heard anything during the time he spent at the God's Wood.

« No! When did she left? » his tone was grave and filled with worry.

« Just after Bran told us everything » Arya explained, her voice still and calm in comparison to her brother's. « She went the same way you did, we thought she was going to look for you. » Jon left the hall in a hurry and went outside, grabbing a torch from the courtyard. Arya didn't follow him but he soon heard the familiar sound of weapons and voices filling the yard. She had warned the others and the few Dothrakis who took the boat with them were behind him in no time, along with Ser Jorah.

One of Daenerys' bloodrider, Quono maybe, he wasn't sure, was swearing out loud and Jon, even if he didn't understand a single thing the Dothraki was saying, knew he was insulting and blaming him. Of course this was his fault and he was aware of that. He shouldn't have left like this and now she was gone, who knew where she went, if she got lost or worst. The forest was dark but illuminated by all their torches as they scattered, Arya stayed closed to him as they got deeper into the forest. They searched and called for her for what seemed like hours to Jon when they heard a familiar shriek. Jorah was not far from where Jon was standing and the two men exchanged a knowing look before staring at the sky. They could not see anything because of the clouds, the sky was low and some fog was making it even more difficult to make out anything. Jon could not see them but he knew Drogon and Rhaegal were flying over them. They were finally back, just when their mother disappeared. After a long moment of uncertainty the two dragons landed in front of them a loud thud. He heard Arya gasped but was more focused on the silver-haired figure on the back of Drogon. He released a sigh of relief and started towards the dragon without thinking but was soon stopped by the beast turning his huge head towards him and growling aggressively at him. His brother also turned to him with a menacing look warning him not to get closer. Surrounded by the two dragons, Jon waited, his eyes meeting Daenerys' has she got down from Drogon, her hand gently stroking the scaled neck and head of her child. She stopped next to his mouth, her eyes staring back at Jon and both dragons flew away in a whirl of wind and snow. They could hear the rest of the searching party getting closer, having heard the dragons.

« Where were you? » he whispered, so she was the only one hearing the worry in his voice.

« I went to look for them. »

« You shouldn't have gone alone, it's dangerous out there, especially at night. »

« I wasn't alone. They found me, they were here. » They looked at each other for some time, Jon trying to read her. He had started to know her quite well, he knew when she was mad or happy, sad or amused, but her eyes were showing him something he never saw there before. Was it hurt? Shame? Or maybe regrets. Whatever it was, the weight on his heart was becoming heavier and heavier as he looked at her.

« We should go back inside. » And with that he turned away and they all followed him back to the castle.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note : once again, thank you for all your sweet comments. And since it's the 2nd time someone brings it up, those « » are the french quotes. I'm french and I have a french keyboard so I can only use them. Sorry if it's confusing for you. I really hope you'll like this chapter._

* * *

« This is exactly why I knew it was a terrible idea… » Tyrion sighed, drinking some more from his glass of wine. He was sitting next to a warm and cosy fire, Varys by his side. The Queen had gone immediately to the room Sansa had prepared for her with Missandei, Jon Snow had disappeared somewhere once again, probably still brooding over the news and Jorah had stayed with the Dothrakis. As always, it was just Varys and him, discussing their impetuous Queen.

« Shall I remind you, you once thought about an alliance by marriage for the two of them… » The eunuch countered.

« Yes but it was supposed to be just that, an alliance. No feelings involved. Everything is more complicated when feelings are involved. Look at the mess we're in! » He finished his glass and got up to get some refill. He knew that feelings were an issue better than anyone and Varys had witnessed it firsthand. Shae would still be alive if it was not for his feelings for her.

« If we had them married before, the mess would be the same. Aunt and nephew. »

« Yes, but we could have either annulled the marriage, no strings attached, no feelings. Or get both of them King and Queen. » Tyrion sat down again next to his friend and looked at the fire in front of them. « Now, who knows what they might do… »

* * *

Lady Sansa had given Daenerys her own room, the one that once belonged to Eddard and Catelyn Stark. She refused it at first, but Lady Sansa had insisted, claiming it was the biggest one and that it would be good for her to go back to her old room. Once she had left, Missandei had prepared a hot bath for her queen, knowing that she was probably freezing and would love the feeling the warm water would give her. Usually, when Daenerys was bathing, she and Missandei talked, about anything and everything, juste like two friends sharing each others lives. That was the way Daenerys thought about Missandei, she was more than an advisor, she was her friend. But tonight the mother of dragons stayed silent, reliving the last hours that sent her world upside down, the same way seeing the White Walkers did. This was maybe nothing compared to the army of the dead, but she could not shake it out of her mind and stayed obsessed with it. Nephew. He was her bloody nephew. And he was more legitimate to the throne than she was. It belonged him, everything she had done until now, fighting to be where she was, had been for nothing. Missandei forced her out of the bath after some time, she did not know for how long she had been in it, long enough for the skin of her hands to be wrinkled. She silently put the night gown her maid was handing her, staring deeply at the fire across the room when three knocks were heard on the other side of the door. She recognized them for having heard that type of knocking almost every night for more than a month. She didn't move, hypnotized by the fire as Missandei went to open the door. She had the feeling her friend knew it was him too, otherwise she would have asked who it was. When the door closed again, she knew they were alone and yet it didn't feel like all those times they spent together in her room. She felt his burning gaze on her back and finally decided to tear her eyes from the flames to look at him. She could tell he was feeling as miserable as she was and somehow it comforted her.

« It's a beautiful room. Lady Sansa is very generous. » she started, choosing carefully her words, not calling her his sister since she was actually not. He didn't react, not a bit interested in small talk. His face was so serious, a mix of anger and what was the other thing? Maybe disgust. Maybe he was disgusted by her and the things they've done. After all, it was almost tradition for her family, maybe he blamed her for that. He was so full of honor, there was no way he could accept what they may have had anymore.

« You scared me tonight. » his tone was grave. She was not used to him voicing those kind of things out loud. She had learned that Jon didn't share much about his emotions and feelings, he always kept everything under control, he wasn't one to open up like that.

« You left first. » she accused but regretted it instantly. « I needed some air. » Surely he could understand that, after all, he too needed some air as well as being left alone. She kept reminded herself it was probably harder for him to deal with all that. He had been lied to his entire life about who were his parents when she just discovered she wasn't the last Targaryen after all.

« We should talk about this. » he stated and Daenerys shook her head. She wasn't ready to hear what he had to say. She wasn't even sure how she felt about all that, it was easier to forget about it, about the throne about everything except the army of the dead. The only thing not relating him to a Targaryen. She needed to focus on that.

« No. There's nothing to talk about. » She turned back to the fire as he took a few steps towards her.

« Please don't. » she stopped him from getting any closer, afraid she might loose it again. She couldn't start this with him, being close to him was torture. It reminded her how much she had grown used to his presence, his scent, his voice.

« Don't push me way. » he begged, sighing, and when she went back to looking at him he closed the gap between them, grabbing her face between his two hands and kissing her deeply. She relished in the feeling of having him close to her, it was like the bubble was reappearing again. Her hands found his hair and soon the kiss turned desperate, like they both knew it was the last one they would share but none of them wanting it to stop. They had to separate when running out of air, resting their foreheads against each other, her hands laying on his chest, ready to push him away without finding the strength to do so, while his were gently caressing her arms.

« We can't. » she breathed, trying to convince herself. Some part of her, the selfish one, wanted him to let go of this revelation and what it implied. She wanted him to choose her over his duties, over traditions, over what was forbidden and what the people in Westeros would not understand.

« I know. » came his voice in a whisper. He had made his choice, of course he was too honorable a man to give into those Targaryen sick traditions. She was the one to walk away from him, a few steps back, as she tore herself from his warm body to face the fire once again. It was easier for her to watch the flames, they were so comforting.

« Daenerys, I… » she stopped his words by raising her hand. He didn't had to justify anything. She understood and respected his decisions. It was goodbye.

« We have to prepare for the Great War. Everything else can wait. We should take the time to process all that… » he nodded « … away from each other. » she finished, heartbroken.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note : I know I broke your hearts with the previous chapter, but I really think (like the actors said themselves) that it won't be that easy for them :-/ Anyway, in this chapter I had to speed things up a bit, so sorry if scenes you could be expecting aren't really described. I hope you'll like it and thanks for all your comments so far^^_

* * *

After a night where he could not get any sleep, Jon decided to let go. He could not come to terms with his new found parents, name and heritage so he just ignored it, tired of not being able to make a decision. All his life he had wanted to belong, to be a Stark. It had almost felt like it when he was named King in the North, he was not feeling like a bastard anymore but as a leader, as someone people trusted. But now, he wasn't feeling like that anymore. Ned Stark's bastard son had become his nephew. The North belonged to Bran, Sansa and Arya more than it belonged to him. He was left with nothing except a big gap where his heart once was. Yes, of course some would say something bigger than the North belonged to him, the Seven Kingdoms, but he didn't know what to make out of it. He was half Stark and half Targaryen but still, he was feeling like an outcast. So he pushed that to the back of his mind, focusing entirely on the army of the dead, the only thing that made sense to him. Sansa had been quiet about him bending the knee to Daenerys Targaryen, she probably thought he needed some time before accusing him of letting the North down. The Lords didn't wait to blame him on the other hand. He had to defend himself and was glad to have his sister supporting him and his decision even if he knew she was still making her mind up about Daenerys. Just like the Northern lords, she will need convincing. It was Bran who saved him from the Lord's anger as his calm and steady voice shut everything down.

« The Wall is down. Deciding who rules the North doesn't matter anymore. »

Everyone fell silent, looking as frightened as possible. The last defense they had to protect them from the White Walkers was destroyed, enabling those creatures to come towards them without any problems.

« We should take this somewhere more private. » Jon finally said, looking at his brother and a few minutes later the Starks' were alone with Daenerys and her advisors, the rest of the Lords quickly dismissed. Daenerys was enraged when Jon's little brother mentioned the dragon.

« What dragon? » she said coldly, her eyes leaving the table she'd been staring at for the last half hour to settle on Bran. Everyone stayed silent, eyes were roaming the room as they all understood. Bran, impassive as usual, was about to speak when she cut him.

« Where did he find a dragon? » she asked him again, very slowly, as if she was trying to control the fire within.

« He turned your dead dragon. » he simply answered.

Everyone was startled by the sound her fists made on the wooden table as she suddenly got up, her chair falling to the ground, she was yelling at Bran, telling him it could not be true. Bran didn't flinch and Jon could swear this was infuriating her even more. She left the room promising the Night King would pay and endure a slowly death by fire and blood, ready to ride off on Drogon. It took everyone's energy to try and stop her. She ignored Tyrion, slapped Jorah and when Jon tried to talk to her she threw him the darkest of looks, her violet eyes blackened by anger. It was the first time he saw the dragon inside her, a fire impossible to tame. Missandei was the only one able to reach to her, to calm her, and then Tyrion succeeded in making her changed her mind. The next day, Jon had heard Missandei saying Daenerys had cried herself to sleep the night before. He wished he could be next to her, reassuring her, telling her they would get rid of the Night King together and that Viserion would not be manipulated by this monster anymore but he couldn't. She wanted space, they needed space.

He arrived the next day. Jaime Lannister. Alone, with no army. It was as much a surprise as it was not. Deep down they all knew better than to trust Cersei Lannister but Jon wanted to believe, everyone wanted to.

« Euron Greyjoy is going to get her the Golden Company. » Jaime said after telling them no army would come. « She probably thinks you're going to win this war against the dead and then she'll just have to deal with what's left of you… »

« We're losing men while she's gaining some… » Tyrion added, deep in thoughts. Daenerys stood silent during the meeting and Jon threw her numerous, rapid glances to try and guess how she would react. But she didn't move or talk, and it was Jorah Mormont who broke the heavy silence in the room.

« Maybe the Second Sons could be helpful, Khaleesi… » Jon didn't understand at first what he was implying. Was he planning on sailing them to Westeros? Two thousand men weren't enough to deal with the company's twelve thousand. After a few moments, Daenerys opened her mouth.

« Have him deal with it then. » she said before exiting the room. Everyone not familiar with the Second Sons threw curious glances at Jorah but Bran's voice shifted their attention back to Jaime.

« You're done killing for her then? » his eyes were focused on Jaime and Jon could tell the Lannister wasn't feeling comfortable as he just nodded, looking everywhere but at the cripple boy. As everyone left the room, Jon remained next to his brother. After a few days he had finally understood what Arya meant when she said Bran had changed. This wasn't the little boy Jon was protecting before, teaching him how to use a bow. The Bran he knew was gone, replaced by the Three-Eyed Raven, only a small part of the real him remained, and Jon was focusing on that part.

« Do you believe him? » Jon was staring at the open door where Jaime Lannister exited a few moments ago.

« For now. » was Bran response. « Who know what a man can do for love? » Jon felt his brother's eyes on him and brushed this conversation away and to a more pressing matter.

« Have you seen where they are? »

« They're still far from any village. » The dead seemed to take their time now they had destroyed the Wall. Jon could not guess the Night King's strategy. He had one, for sure but neither Jon or Bran could decipher it. It was as if the Night King was waiting for them to attack, choosing the field to better trap them. Just like he did when they went beyond the wall. He could have left them with less walkers, continued his progress but he stayed put, watching them, waiting. As if he knew something bigger will come than just the few of them. Jon could not help but wonder why the five of them were so important to held an entire army. He had come to decide it was not them who mattered but her, and her dragons. As Bran had said, the Night King had marked him, he was able to find him and maybe he could see as much as Bran could. One way or another he knew about the dragons and he knew Daenerys would come for them. Jon had not shared this idea with anyone but he knew Bran probably had the same thought. Without the dragon, he would never have destroyed the Wall. The thing now, was to guess his next step. He exited the room, his mind still on the walkers when he noticed Jorah making his way to the ravens. He started to follow him, wanting to know more about the Second Sons and the way they could help when he stumbled on Arya.

« Come sparing with me. » she said, her tone not a question.

« Not now, Arya. » Jon smiled. He loved her with all his heart and had been really proud when he had saw her using her Needle for the first time with Brienne. It had warmed his heart to see she still had the gift he gave her all those years ago, but also a bit scarred as to the extent she had changed during those years. She had not talk about it, she kept on saying no one taught her how to fight but the truth was she was way better that some knights he knew.

« Afraid you might loose… » she asked to his back. Jon stopped, a laugh escaping his lips at his little sister's confidence.

« No, just afraid you might sulk for days when I beat you. » He had no time to register as she started running towards him, nimbly grabbing his dagger in the process. She had become quite a thief as well as a trained swordsman.

« Then show me how good you are, brother! » She ran down the stairs, Jon at her heels. He could hear her laugh until she was almost at the end of the stairs, a few steps away from the yard, where she abruptly stopped, Jon running into her. In front of them stood Daenerys Targaryen, eyes shocked as his little sister nearly rushed into her but a small smile covering her lips.

« Sorry, Your Grace. » Arya apologized, as Jon retrieved the dagger from his sister's hands.

« No worries Lady Arya. » Daenery's smile was big and sincere but disappeared as Arya's face grew grave. « Oh yes, not a Lady, just Arya… » she smiled again as she pushed herself out of the way to let the young girl jump into the courtyard.

« Come on Jon, let me see what you can do! » Arya exclaimed as she drew Needle out. Jon eyes rested on Daenerys' amused face until she looked at him, still smiling faintly. He wanted to ask her how she was, the news about her dragon had shaken her even if she did her best to held it together. He knew she was in pain, he had noticed she was not eating much, the North didn't provide as much variety as she was used to. He wanted to tell her he missed her but was still too confused about his feelings as well as hers so he just looked at her, taking in the beauty of her face, remembering how it felt to touch her soft skin, to kiss her lips. Her eyes went to the floor, a bit embarrassed.

« I don't want to keep you away from her… » she said, as she looked towards where Arya was waiting. Jon nodded with a small, sad smile.

« Your Grace. » And he joined his sister, forcing himself not to look back and focusing on not being too easily distracted by those violet eyes that haunted him. They sparred, Arya was way too quick, but his strength was the only thing keeping her from overpowering him. His mind finally drifted away from the Dragon Queen as he enjoyed this time with his sister, not at all aware of the silver-haired woman watching him from above the stairs.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's note : Here's another chapter guys! Thanks again for the reviews and I hope you'll enjoy this one._ _Strategies and arrivals...and maybe a quick Jonerys moment ;)_

* * *

« We can't let them past the Gift, we have to stop them before they find any village. » Jon stated, pacing in the snow in front of Winterfell gates.

« They're not making much progress, they're probably waiting for us to do so if what you say about this Night King is right. » came Tyrion's retort. The group was composed of four men, Jorah, Jon, Tyrion and Jaime. This meeting wasn't planned as they all walked into each other but every conversation they had always ended on the same subject. « He wants to lure us somewhere he's sure to win. We have to do the same, find a place where we can have the upper hand. »

« What about Lonely Hills? » was Jaime Lannister proposition. « Let them arrive that far, we would have Dreadfort on the South and the Karstarks to the East, we can attack from the West and the wildlings coming from the North. If we do it right, Long Lake can stop them and they're surrounded. » It was a good plan, Jorah and Tyrion were already nodding to it but Jon could only see one thing.

« Too low. We can't let them that far, they could destroy several villages on their way there. What about Last Hearth, we can't let the Umbers face them. » he argued.

« Move the Umbers to Karhold. The boy is young, you let him live and keep his castle despite their treason, he will do exactly what you want. » Tyrion Lannister added and Jon started pacing again. Both Lannisters had a point, they could have them surrounded. Karhold with the Umbers there would be a great force on the East as well as Dreadfort on the South, where they were planning to settle the Unsullied and Dothrakis when they arrived. Castle black would come North with the Wildings and the men of the Watch and the rest of them would leave from Winterfell to attack from the West. This could work even if Jon was not ready to let them go that far. He was too eager to get rid of them, not able to think as clearly as Jaime Lannister, a known and recognized soldier.

« Okay » he conceded after a few moments of thinking. « Let's suggest this to the Queen. »

« Your Grace! » one of the guards from the front tower called out to him. « A rider is approaching! » The four men turned towards the vast snowy valley surrounding the castle of Winterfell and they saw him, just a small dark sport in the distance that was slowly getting closer and closer. When he was just a few meters away from them, they realized someone was walking behind his horse, hands tied to a rope held by the horseman and they all silently reached for the pommel of their swords. His face was hidden under a black hood that also covered half his face. An arakh was hanging on his hip but there was no doubt he was not a Dothraki.

« Stop right there! » Jon Snow strong voice pierced the silent sound of the wind and the snow falling. Ghost was next to him, growling at the stranger. « Who are you? » The rider came to a halt and removed the hood covering his face. Jon did not know him but as Tyrion swore under his breath he guessed the Lannister did.

« Oh, damn. »

« I'm Daario Naharis. Tell the Queen I have a gift for her. » he presented himself, pulling at the rope holding his prisoner as for his supposed gift. Jon turned to Tyrion and Jorah, they both seemed annoyed by this newcomer but Tyrion was already making his way back to the castle and Mormont nodded this man was not a threat but Jon did not release the pommel of his sword.

« If you could be quick about it Tyrion, it's freezing down here! » and Jon could have sworn Tyrion Lannister slowed his pace a bit more.

* * *

They had allowed him to enter the courtyard and Jorah had explained he was the commander of the Second Sons, supposedly staying in Meereen to keep the peace on behalf of the Queen. He was the one he had sent a raven to just a few days ago after the meeting when they had talked about the Golden Company. Daario had just replied « Hum, didn't get that one. I had already left the city. » and they all stood silent, waiting for the Queen. Jon was still a bit suspicious about this man and the prisoner he had with him. After a few minutes of waiting, they heard footsteps on the wooden stairs and they turned as the Queen arrived, followed by Tyrion, Missandei, Grey Worm and some of her Dothrakis guards. Jon took a glance at this Daario Naharis who smiled as she approached, the look he had as his eyes followed her movements said more than a thousands words could. Jon felt a twinge next to his heart, his throat suddenly dry as his eyes shifted to her beautiful face, hoping he would not find the same thing he did on Daario's. But her face was closed, emotionless, impossible to read. He could not decide whether it was a good thing or not. However, Daario thought it was good, his smile growing wider when she stopped just in front of him.

« You're supposed to take care of Meereen in my absence. » she was the one to break the silence. Jon saw they had quite an audience as his siblings as well as others were watching from above.

« I was hoping you would be happy to see me, after all these months. » he was unshaken by her dry tone, still smiling as if the situation delighted him.

« I'm not, since you should be at Meereen, where I told you to stay… »

« Stay until they chose a leader. » he cut her without warning and her face started to show the anger she was feeling. She never liked being cut or challenged. « They did. You've been long gone, things are well there. »

« A raven could have been enough. If you had stayed there, you would have received Jorah's informing you of… »

« The Golden Company pursued by Cersei Lannister. » She threw him the darkest of glances for interrupting her again and this time, his eyes went to the ground for a second. « I've heard about it. »

« Then what are you doing here? I need you there to stop this deal! » she exclaimed, visibly annoyed.

« You know as well as I do I couldn't stop this deal from happening. » Silence fell between the two of them. « But I got a gift for you. » Her eyes left his to focus on the prisoner he had, but, to everyone surprise, he got a withered flower from under his leather jacket, holding it to her with a smile. « Remember? She did not survive the journey but it's still a good memory from… »

« Is that all? » It was her who cut him this time, her voice and stare showing real irritation as she totally ignored his flower. Maybe he was hurt, but it did not show for more than a second.

« Oh, I also got the second commander of the Golden Company. » He shrugged « I think he knows quite a lot about Cersei Lannister's plan with the rest of them. » She finally gave him a small smile, her eyes shining at the news. As much as Jon disliked this Daario, this catch could be of a great help.

« I'll take the prisoner then. » she said, looking at the man in chains before turning to Jon. « I trust we can find a place for him? » He wanted to believe her tone was softer when addressing him but shook this foolish idea away as he nodded. « Get him to a cell. » he called out to his men.

* * *

Almost two weeks had passed since Jon was back in Winterfell, two weeks during which he worried too much about the army of the dead and their progress past the Wall. They all had agreed to the plan of Lonely Hills. Last Hearth had been emptied a few days before. As expected, young Lord Umber had not argue a bit and the Karstarks had welcome them, reinforcing the allies to the east. Still, Jon was not sure this plan would go smoothly, he kept on assuming the worse, what if the dead decided on heading towards Karhold instead of going South. He had made sure everyone would be ready to leave if that were to happen. They now had a great amount of dragon glass weapons and they were just waiting for Bran to give them the green light. They were supposed to move once the army hit Last Hearth and according to his brother, they just arrived to Queenscrown which was deserted. They were moving pretty slowly but Jon tried not to make to much of it, the plan was solid, everyone was ready, they just needed to be patient. He wasn't much for patience, so he used his time to focus on something else, their latest prisoner. The man from the Golden company was silent as a tomb, he had tried threatening him, the Dothrakis even tortured him but not a single word escaped from his mouth. He was starting to wonder if something was going to come out from this man or not.

« Has he said anything? » he was startled to hear her voice, not expecting to see her in the dungeons since she never came to see the prisoner, only sending Jorah, the Dothrakis or even this Daario. He remembered seeing them together the day he arrived one week ago. They had talked for a few minutes, just the two of them, Daenerys was stiff at the beginning but at the end she had a small smile and he had seen her accepting that withered flower. Jon had turned around and focused all his anger on the prisoner. He didn't know why it hurt so much, he was aware she had a life before, and now, whatever was between them was on hold, forbidden. Yet, he couldn't suppressed his feelings nor could he stop staring at her good heart, like Davos said a few months ago.

« Not yet, Your Grace. » They both look towards the cells, the last one was occupied by the man but they could not see him from where they stood. It was so rare now for the two of them to be alone, the air was heavy with silence and he felt her eyes on his face. He didn't want to look at her, he wanted to stay focused, not to be distracted by his feelings coming back to haunt him, but he could not resist to try and read her mind. Her eyes told a thousand things, a thousand things that would confuse him even more, but he could not look away. He saw distress, pain, uncertainty and numerous other things he could not put words to. He was no longer in control of his own body when he turned completely towards her, raising his hand to touch her porcelain skin. Her eyes shut at the contact but then footsteps were heard and she moved away from his touch as he regain his composure, taking a step back as well. Daario Naharis appeared and her behavior changed completely. The moment was gone.

« So, do you want me to take him? » he asked her after nodding to Jon.

« Yes. » she answered and Daario walked towards the cell. Jon frowned, a questioning look on his face as he looked back at her.

« Where are you taking him? » She stared back, her eyes were unreadable once again. She had become quite temperamental those days, at one moment she could be soft and smiling and the next she would be stern and harsh. Tyrion was starting to fear her unstable behavior, afraid she might follow her father's path. Jon was confident, even though he could not understand her as well as before, he knew she was far from being mad and cruel but he was sure he didn't convinced Tyrion. Her Hand still eyed her every move and decision with question and if he was there, he would probably be as lost as Jon was.

« I'm going to make him talk. » she simply said, starting after Daario and the prisoner.


End file.
